TELEPHONE SALESMANSHIP
More and more the advantage of the telephone as a means of getting business is coming to be realized by shoe salesmen who are alive to ideas. With a list of his customers’ telephone numbers the salesman is in a position to place himself and his story before any one of them within a moment’s notice. He may have an announcement of the receipt of a new line of styles which he knows will especially appeal to the customer, or perhaps the salesman may have in stock a special-value shoe of the customer’s size that he will be interested to see. It may be an advance announcement of a sale, or any one of a dozen items of special interest to a buyer. The telephone is at the salesman’s elbow. It is as easy for him to tell his story to the customer as it is for him to “talk about the weather” to the man standing alongside of him.
“Good-morning, Mrs. Brown, this is the Progressive Shoe Store—Mr. Smith talking. You will be interested to know that we have today received our complete line of spring styles. There are two or three of the models I know will appeal to you especially.” ... “Wednesday? Very well, I’ll have them ready to show when you call.”
The customer appreciates genuine service of this kind. It requires just a moment of the salesman’s time, but produces big results in the form of increased business, and it establishes the good-will of the customer, both in the store and the salesman.